What to stream this week on Telstra TV

Janet and Ryan from the Telstra TV team share their top picks to stream this month on Telstra TV.

A king is born in Disney’s heartwarming musical blockbuster, THE LION KING – available from the 30th of October on Telstra TV Box Office. Based on the much-loved 1994 original, this visually stunning live-action adaptation follows lion cub prince Simba – as he’s forced to leave Pride Rock by his scheming uncle Scar. When he meets a friendly meerkat Timon and his warthog buddy Pumbaa, the new friends set off on an adventure to help Simba find his courage and take back his rightful place in the kingdom. With all the songs you know and love – and an incredible cast including Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, this enchanting film is one the whole family can enjoy.

Fans of Breaking Bad are in for a treat this month with EL CAMINO: A BREAKING BAD MOVIE, available to stream now on Netflix. Written and directed by Vince Gilligan, the film follows on from the shocking series finale – to show us what became of Walter White’s sidekick Jesse Pinkman, played superbly by Emmy winner Aaron Paul. Having escaped from Uncle Jack, Jesse is now on the run from the law – and with the help of Badger and Skinny Pete, he’s forced to come to terms with the dramatic events of his past. Stream EL CAMINO: A BREAKING BAD MOVIE now, only on Netflix.

Following the success of her character in last year’s DC Crossover event, Australia’s Ruby Rose is back in black as BATWOMAN – streaming this month on Foxtel Now. Ruby plays Kate Kane, the daughter of wealthy private security contractor Jake Kane – and the cousin of Batman’s Bruce Wayne, who has left Gotham without a hero just when it needs him the most. When her girlfriend is kidnapped by a terrorist group, Kate takes matters into her own hands – using Batman’s crime-fighting toys to go head-to-head with the gang’s leader, the evil mastermind Alice. Stream BATWOMAN each Tuesday on Foxtel Now.

Academy Award-winner Forest Whitaker stars in Stan’s gritty new crime series, GODFATHER OF HARLEM. Based on the real-life New York City mobster Bumpy Johnson, the series is a prequel to the film American Gangster and takes place in the early 1960’s – when Johnson returns home after a decade in Alcatraz to find his turf taken over by the Italian mafia. To claw back control in a neighbourhood battling poverty, a heroin epidemic and escalating police brutality, he befriends activist Malcolm X – just as the Civil Rights movement is gaining critical momentum. From the co-creator of Narcos, the series also stars Ilfa-nesh Had-air-a, Nigél Thatch, Giancarlo Esposito and Vincent D’Onofrio. Watch the brand new series GODFATHER OF HARLEM – available to stream now, only on Stan.

Our favourites streaming for the week of 18 October:

Max the Terrier and his fellow furry friends are back for even more adventure in Illumination’s latest animated feature, THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS 2 – available now on Telstra TV Box Office. A lot has changed since we last saw Max (voiced by Patton Oswalt). Now that his owner Katie (Ellie Kemper) is a mother to toddler Liam, Max has become so completely stressed about making sure the young boy is kept safe that he’s developed a nervous reaction: scratching himself like crazy. When the family heads off on a trip to the country, Max becomes even more of a wreck when he and his poochy pal Duke (Eric Stonestreet) come across some frightening farm animals. That is until an old farm dog named Rooster (Harrison Ford) helps Max to discover his inner courage and find some much-needed balance when it comes to Liam. Back home, wacky bunny Snowball starts thinking he might really be a superhero when his owner starts to dress him up in a mask and cape – so much so that when Shih Tzy Daisy (Tiffany Haddish) turns up to ask for help, he’ll have to pluck up all the bravery he can muster to save the day.

Academy Award winner Meryl Streep leads an outstanding cast in Steven Soderbergh’s latest comedy-drama film, THE LAUNDROMAT – streaming from this Friday 18 October on Netflix. Based on the disturbing true story surrounding the Panama Papers, the film centres on Ellen Martin (played by Streep), a retiree whose husband dies in a freak accident while on holiday. When their cruise company’s insurance policy refuses to pay out what she’s entitled to, Ellen begins to dig deeper – and what she uncovers is a tangled web of corrupt lawyers, shell companies and offshore accounts being used to prop up the world’s wealthiest and shadiest figures. At the centre of it all is Jürgen Mossack (Gary Oldman) and Ramón Fonseca (Antonio Banderas), the Panama City law partners brazenly breaking the law on a global scale to help the super-rich get even richer. Also starring Sharon Stone, David Schwimmer, Will Forte and Matthias Schoenaerts.

New to Amazon Prime Video this week is the gorgeously heartwarming anthology series, MODERN LOVE. Across eight standalone episodes, the series explores what it means to find love and romance in today’s messy, complicated world. Whether it’s a modern-day Cinderella story, a married couple fighting keep the spark alive, the joy of bringing new life into the world – or the special bonds we form with our family and friends, love really does keep us all together. With a truly stellar cast including Anne Hathaway, Tina Fey, Dev Patel, Catherine Keener, John Slattery, Julia Garner and more, all eight episodes will be available to stream from this Friday 18 October only on Amazon Prime Video.

Based on the award-winning novel of the same name by ‘The Fault in our Stars’ author John Green, Stan’s eight episode coming-of-age series LOOKING FOR ALASKA is available to stream in full from 7pm (AEDT) this Saturday 19 October. Charlie Plummer plays Miles ‘Pudge’ Halter, an angsty Floridian teen who convinces his parents to send him off to boarding school in Alabama. When he gets there, his new dorm roommate Chip ‘The Colonel’ Martin (played by Denny Love) introduces him to his best friend Takumi (Jay Lee) and the titular Alaska (Kristine Froseth) – a mysteriously captivating yet unavailable girl who captures his heart. The group of outsiders hit it off right away – partying, playing pranks and sharing deep-and-meaningful secrets that lead to them forming lifelong bonds extending far beyond their high school experience. But when tragedy strikes, they’re forced to come to terms with their complex emotions, to make sense of it all and find a way forward in life.

Our favourites streaming for the week of 7 October:

All your favourite characters are back for one last adventure with Disney Pixar’s blockbuster animation, TOY STORY 4 – available fresh from the cinema on Telstra TV Box Office. Nine years in the making, the latest film in this much-loved franchise follows on from Toy Story 3 when the toys of teenager Andy found a new home with five year old Bonnie. During arts and crafts on Bonnie’s first day of kindergarten, she creates her own toy called Forky (voiced by Veep’s Tony Hale) – who quickly becomes her new favourite. When Bonnie’s family head off on a road trip in their Winnebago, Forky jumps out the window and Woody (Tom Hanks) – knowing how important Forky is to Bonnie – heads out to bring him back. But an unexpected detour leads Woody to be reunited with his old friend Bo Peep (Annie Potts), who was sold at a garage sale years earlier. Now living as a “lost toy” without a kid of her own, she invites Woody to join her and find a new purpose in life at the carnival. That is, until Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) and the gang come to the rescue.

Tune in to discover what all the fuss is about, as the worldwide phenomenon THE MASKED SINGER hits Australia’s shores – streaming each Monday and Tuesday night on 10 play. Combining the thrills and chills of a singing competition with the mystery and drama of a guessing game, each week a group of celebrity contestants individually perform before a live audience and a “guessing panel” consisting of Lindsay Lohan, Dannii Minogue, Jackie O and Dave Hughes. But there’s a catch – the singers are covered up from head to toe in elaborately magnificent costumes created by award-winning Australian designer Tim Chappel. Each time our secret celebs sing, a clue about their identity is shared – and then it’s up to them to try to conceal who they really are. Each episode, the panel and the audience then vote for their favourite performance – and the contestant with the lowest number of votes is forced to remove their mask and reveal all.

You’ll have the time of your life watching the brand new dancing reality series, THE REAL DIRTY DANCING – streaming each Sunday and Monday on 7plus. Based on the much-loved eighties movie, the series brings together eight Aussie celebrities to relive the nostalgia-inducing journey taken by the characters played by Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey. Filmed on location at Kellerman’s Resort in Virginia, the contestants – including actor Hugh Sheridan, journalist Jessica Rowe, presenter Jamie Durie, comedian Anne Edmonds and others – are put through their paces by choreographers Todd McKenney and Kym Johnson as they learn iconic dance numbers from the film. The pair who perform the best will be selected to play the roles of Baby and Johnny in a special performance back home in Australia, where they will recreate the famous lift against the backdrop of the movie’s iconic soundtrack.

Get your daily dose of reality romance with season two of LOVE ISLAND AUSTRALIA, airing Mondays to Fridays from 8:45pm and streaming on demand on 9Now. Sophie Monk is back to play Cupid, as she whisks a group of Aussie singles off to a luxury island villa – this time closer to home in the South Pacific paradise of Fiji. Based on the hugely popular British reality series, the show sees the love-hungry contestants coupling up each week – and whoever finds themselves without a partner is booted off the island. Throwing a few spanners into the works to make it all the more interesting, new singles are introduced into the mix, while weekly challenges and games are played to test their knowledge of each other and find out who’s really in love and who is just playing the game. The last couple left will win a cash prize to begin their new life together – or for a more dramatic twist, one of them can choose to take the whole lot for themselves. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry and you’ll become completely absorbed by this addictive series.

Find out more about the new Telstra TV and discover more of what you love.

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Ryan is a marketing and design specialist with over 12 years of experience in producing content for media organisations, marketing agencies and retail businesses. Prior to joining the Telstra TV team, Ryan was the Graphic Design and Copywriting Specialist for BigPond Movies. A self-professed streaming junkie, Ryan is an avid binge watcher of crime dramas (particularly Nordic Noir), offbeat comedies and thrillers with a twist.